Embrace Wisconsin Winters No Matter The Weather

Molly Meister

Molly Meister is a publications supervisor in the DNR’s Office of Communications.

It's a story we’ve all heard from our parents and grandparents: “When I was your age, I had to walk to school uphill both ways in the snow.”

While there might be some truth to that, the future of Wisconsin winters is projected to look pretty different.

Climate experts predict that due to climate change, winters in the Badger State will feature less fluffy snowfall and more rain and sleet events in coming years.

Steve Vavrus, state climatologist at UW-Madison, said climate change also means we can expect the mercury to keep rising.

The statewide winter average temperature during the past 15 years has been 19.1 degrees, which is warmer than the 20th century average of 15.7 degrees. And winter 2023 was the warmest on record, averaging 28.2 degrees.

What does this mean for winter recreation opportunities? It’s time to adapt!

Read on to learn how ski hills are leaning into the forces of nature to create machine-made snow, find out where you can hop on your fat-tire bike, how to enjoy your favorite recreational vehicles safely on inconsistent terrain, and much more.